slow 0 Posted December 20, 2003 Share Posted December 20, 2003 I saw it on TV several years ago and it was very exciting and sacred. I would love to go. Has anyone seen it? Is it near the ski resort? Link to post Share on other sites
big-will 7 Posted December 20, 2003 Share Posted December 20, 2003 Check out the Nozawa now archives: http://www.snowjapan.com/e/daily/shownow1.php?month=01&year=2003&town=Nozawa%20Now! Wednesday 15th January 2003, 9:12AM Today is the most important day of the year for Nozawa Onsen. The famous Dosojin Fire Festival will be held tonight from 7:30 pm. This morning's snowfall should provide the perfect atmosphere for the festival. Snow is forecasted for the whole day but strong winds might cause the upper lifts to stop. If you don't mind the snow blowing horizontally into your face it can be a good day. The Dôsojin Fire Festival is one of the three most famous fire festivals in Japan. It is held on January 15th every year to pray for a plentiful harvest, health and good fortune in the coming year. During this festival the twenty-five and forty-two year old men from the village play a very important role. An old belief in Japan dictates that, for men, these years are unlucky ages. The twenty-five and the forty-two year old men in their unlucky ages construct the shaden (shrine) from beech wood that reaches a height of 18 meters. Every year it takes 100 villagers to build the shrine. Along with the shaden there are an average of five tôrô (dedicatory lantern poles) erected every year. These poles are made by a family in the village to celebrate the birth of the first son. The tôrô are offered to the Gods in a prayer for health and good fortune. The festivities begin with the lighting of the fire by the twenty-five and fourty-two year old men. A small group of men carry a torch, which is lit by striking two stones together, from the Kôno residence to the festival grounds. The torch is used to start a bonfire from which the handmade torches, used to attack the shrine, are lit. The festival centers around the shaden, where the fourty-two year olds sit on top and the twenty-five year olds stand guard at the base. Those who are 41 and 43 years old stand around the perimeter to protect the spectators. Torch bearing villagers of all ages attempt to break through the guards and light the shaden on fire. A dangerous and lively battle ensues. The defenders try to put out the fire by striking it with pine branches. The attack lasts for about one hour, after which the 42 year olds call an end to the ceremony and the shaden together with the tôrô are set on fire in an offering to the Gods. The entire festival can take up to four hours from the beginning to the end, but the main attraction is the battle between the guards and the torch bearing villagers. Link to post Share on other sites
slow 0 Posted December 20, 2003 Author Share Posted December 20, 2003 Thank you! I'll do more research and make plan to go there. Link to post Share on other sites
enderzero 0 Posted December 20, 2003 Share Posted December 20, 2003 I went last year. It is pretty awesome. If you get a chance I recommend going...although it might not be as cool without any snow this year. Link to post Share on other sites
slow 0 Posted December 20, 2003 Author Share Posted December 20, 2003 enderzero, were there many tourists overnight? Link to post Share on other sites
enderzero 0 Posted December 20, 2003 Share Posted December 20, 2003 I should add - the kids at the bottom get pretty messed up. Everyone is drunk of course and this leads to a lot of burned "guards" They must have carted half the kids away to the medic center. By the time they lit the structure the kids that were left were all sitting on the ground in their red suits and ash blackened faces downing sake and singing. The kids in the ambulances didn't look so merry. The "townspeople" trying to (ceremonially) light the structure by throwing torches into it have at many times been known to include some drunken gaijin trying their best to get into the spirit as well. Link to post Share on other sites
enderzero 0 Posted December 20, 2003 Share Posted December 20, 2003 Slow - I don't really know. There were a lot of people there, but I am not sure how many were tourists. No Fakie was there I think too. I went with Barok, Nekobi, and Zwelgen, but we stayed in Iiyama. Link to post Share on other sites
nekobi 0 Posted December 23, 2003 Share Posted December 23, 2003 definitely go if you get the chance. and get there early to get as much free sake as you can! its lots of fun and totally crazy. you do have to be careful of the drunk men playing with fire. i've known some people who've gotten little burns. v interesting experience. Link to post Share on other sites
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